Homelessness among students in the Green Bay School District has increased every year for the past five years, and nearly tripled this school year from what it was in 2003-04, year-end data show.

The school year ends this month with about 900 children identified at one time or another as homeless.

“We’ve grown from 15 to 20 percent each academic year,” said Alison Draheim, family, community and homeless resource coordinator for the district. “I don’t know why. It’s not that there are more families moving here than before, but I’m seeing more first-time homeless, more dads I’ve never met before that have fallen on bad luck.”